2010 Small Business Resolutions for Online

New year and time to get going. A key to any business is having a plan; a way to measure your accomplishments along the way. Now is a time to put in writing some goals to stay abreast of the ever changing online environment and if lucky, lean some new things along the way. So I documenting my commitment here and plan to check in over the next 12 months to share my success or failures along the way.

Angela Bustamante’s 2010 Online Marketing Resolutions:

1.Use a technology tools to better manage my busy schedule and abundance of information out there. For me personally, that means incorporating Google Reader and Social Bookmaking on a daily basis.

2. Explore Wordpress, its themes and plug-ins. Already started on this goal…Currently working on incorporating a new wp site with the tools I pick up in the coming weeks…stay tuned on my progress.

3. Educate myself (even more) . There is always another blog to read, newsletter to subscribe to and a plethora of free webinars and online classes. I like ClickZ, SEMPO, HubSpot Webinars, MarketingProfs, Lynda.com and Freshworkshops to name a few

4. Focus on creating unique blog and site content. Share my marketing experiences and campaign success for others to learn from. Having worked in CPC,CPM,CPL , Email & now entering Social Media I have a lot of insight on how businesses across different industries and with different budgets are making good use of various media ( pass it along). I too hit roadblocks and learn from others and happy to share new insights

5. Focus on my Local Search networks and Profiles- Bing Local, Google Maps Local Business Center and eventually user reviews

6. Possibly barter or volunteer some of my marketing skills for a fledging small business or non profit, so I can further my portfolio and gain new perspectives.

7. Become active in at least two travel social communities and start particpating ( as I currently provide marketing consulting for a Travel Network and Online Travel Marketing company)

Bing Local: A New Face in Local Search. Is your business listed? http://ping.fm/011lp

Proceed Cautiously with Yellow Page Advertising

YP is one of the older versions of advertising and one of the MOST expensive for the small business owner. With so many options at your disposal and today’s economy it does not make sense to put your business under financial stress by making annual commitments.

As an ad sales rep, I have heard too many stories from very nice merchants that feel misled or have been placed in a financial burden trying to honoring a YP contract that has proven unbeneficial to their business. Being sold a “bill of goods” has long been practiced by some ( not all) unsavory sales reps. Its unfortunate to hear stories of businesses that lose their website or forced to pay for bad advertising. Here are a few things to consider before signing on the dotted line.

1 NEVER –especially in 2009’s economy- sign an ANNUAL contract- regardless if what discount is being implied. Major internet players like Google & Yahoo never require you sign a 12month deal…..plans can change, but annual non cancelable YP contracts don’t.
2. AVOID 800 number or call tracking phone numbers provided by YP. A metered phone number is a special number that forwards callers to your real phone number. The phone company then sends you a monthly report on the number of calls you received through the metered line. If you do not renew after 12 months your number expires. People may hold onto older versions of the phone book and will get a disconnect when they try calling (who actually requests YP to send them a new book every year)
3. DON’T PAY FOR ADD-ONS until you actually know it works! Remember you cannot cancel this contract. If you are so inclined to commit 12 months of hard earned money to YP without any guarantees just go for the minimum line listing ( no more than $100/month). That way you will be found in the directory and can assess the calls that come in. That takes me to # 4 & 5
4. ASK- ask everyone how did they got your number- did you see us listed? Train your staff on this as well – and always ask walk-ins. YOU MUST KNOW WHAT IS GENERATING EXPOSURE FOR YOUR BSINESS5. SIZE vs. LOCATION. Bigger is not always better. Your ad sales rep will come in with a discounted ad package with bells &whistles. Will paying for color ink, borders and FP ads make your business more profitable? People searching a service check local first. Thus a small listing – line item even- may be more practical. Recently I needed an exterminator (ASAP) I entered my zipcode + exterminator and started my search from there. I am in Brooklyn…..I needed an exterminator now. I don’t want one from the Bronx when there are three within 15 minutes of me ( even if the Bronx exterminator has a snazzy FP ad). Don’t SPEND money on YP DESIGN ADS……that significant 12 month investment may be better applied to your website design, professional logo, or email software.

If you want alternative PPC traffic there are many good options which I will address in a follow up on Niche PPC. The bottom line takeaway is NEVER EVER commit to a 12 month program without doong some research . Online marketing should be trackable and hopefully transparent ( you know the referral sources) . You should be able to add/cutback or even pause a campaign. 2009 was a very bad year for a lot of businesses. Realize there are many advertising options – some even free- which can provide great value to you business. Do not anchor yourself to a program that may not be right for you

Starting a marketing campaign with- “ I will try it out and see if it works” approach

An interesting article in NY Times asks is Google Adwords is really valuable for all businesses. Got me thinking.....

I have been working with SMB for 15 years on marketing programs and budgets. The two challenges I hear from owners is “how much to budget for advertising” and “Google or PPC doesn’t work”.

PPC marketing can be effective and Google is king, but just because you set up an Adwords account does not mean you will get business. Think of it this way, you sign a lease for a store front, are you guaranteed profitability? Factors such as location, product pricing and variety, staff, competition, can affect the success of your business…..well it’s the same on Google.

Many small business owners with limited PPC/Search Marketing skills opt the go- it alone approach which can be costly. By not understanding keyword targeting, search copy writing and the organic structure of site you may be overlooking or duplicating efforts. The biggest mistake by far is budgeting too little, then improperly managing the campaign and then claiming “Google or PPC doesn’t wok” after your entire marketing budget is eaten away-sometimes in a few days.

Possible pit falls for do-it yourself first-timers:

1.Setting a budget too low . You just don’t generate enough volume for your ad to be productive ( not all clicks convert to customers). Think of a stand alone store front – does every customer that walks by the front door come in and buy? No…you need foot traffic- that’s eyeballs/frequency in the digital word.
2. You have no concept of costs for premium placement. You have no time to manage daily bids. .50 cents to be on Google sounds fantastic! Right in line with your marketing budget ! Dig deeper and you may find out you need to be at $ 1.50-$ 2 + on each keyword bid to see any presence
3. Oops- the Power of Google- Where’s my money? So you stuck with your minimal budget but increased your bids- after all you want to be on page one. But did you set a daily cap? No- well expect that allocated budget to go very fast.

I have managed local PPC accounts at Citysearch, Enhance Interactive and currently for an Ad Network. When I consult with a business I try to give the best advice on starting aggressively, realistically or not at all. I provide budget reccomendations and suggested minimum bids- I do this as I see behind the scenes dozens of paid campaigns and understand the dynamics. I know the ad product(s). I’ve worked with numerous businesses and ad agencies and have learned by their trial and error. But it is the business owners call and 7 out of 10 times I hear “ I’d like to try it out first and see how it works. Then if it works I will add more money”. This is a business plan doomed for failure. Usually 5 days into a PPC campaign I receive a call from the business saying” my budget is almost all gone and its only 5 days”

Moral of the story- research, research and research .When in doubt, don’t plop down money. Hire someone to help you-if only a few hours each month and learn from them as you go along. . Ask what a realistic test budget is. Understand there are other options to Adwords ( improve you site for organic search results, social media, blogs, forums and video). Explore niche PPC or Local Search….companies like Citysearch offer PPC products ideal for the restaurant, nightlife, spa & beauty category. Superpages /Yellow pages .com have PPC . Specialty Ad networks focus on site specific PPC placements by category: Financial.& Business only websites, Travel sites /travel meta- search sites- all offering very targeted PPC placement around specific content, targeting unique audiences/interests

To learn more about setting up a 1st time campaign or how to improve your current efforts feel free to reach out to me via email. Check out the NY Times article- Real-Life Lessons in Using Google AdWords

Free Online Marketing Tools Small Business Owners Can Use Now

Being a small business owner usually entails working on shoestring or nonexistent marketing budgets. With so many PAID marketing options, what can you do now to generate some exposure for your business and reach potential new customers?

There are a plethora of free online marketing tools at you disposal, and some require a commitment of your time in order to reap the benefits. Here are a few tips you can do today to promote your site. Cost: $0

Google Maps- List Your Business in Google, even without a website. It is very wise for local businesses to be found in the local results in major search engines. These local results are free to be included in and simply require you to fill out a form to let the search engines know about your business You will need a physical street address, but you can appear on top of page 1 in Google local search results. And you can even attract and track customers by incorporating Local Merchant Coupons- see below

Google Coupons Add Coupons to Your Google Maps Listing - Free! Google users print your coupons and bring them to your business. Coupons will appear alongside your business listing on Google Maps. Adding coupons to your listing in Google Maps may bring new customers to your business. http://www.google.com/local/add/coupons?hl=en-US&gl=US

Yahoo Answers- show your expertise by signing up and answering questions related to your area of business expertise and service
Linked In Polls If you are not on Linked In – do it now. Its all about networking, especially if you ar ea service oriented provider.

Create a Blog using WordPress or Blogger. Develop a corporate and/or personal blog that educates and entertains. And update it regularly (at least once per week)!

Citysearch.com, Openlist, Menupages and other local directories. Do you have listing already? Most businesses can have a free basic listing name, address and phone……if you want a full business profile with photos you will need to upgrade to the paid profiles. But you can usually upgrade for as little as $99/month. Certain verticals thrive on sites like these…take a look around and see if your competition is featured – that’s a sign.

Social Networks- Facebook, Twitter. Build your brand via social networking. Consider Twitter in order to put a person behind your thoughts and insights. A greatway to announce lastminute vent updates and news. Monitor what new customers and loyal customers are saying about your business and get active in damage control and customer service!

Creating A Strong Corporate Blog

Yesterday I attended an all day webcast hosted by MarketingProfs focused on best practices for using Social Media, Website ROI Measurement, Email and Blogging. There is great value in having a blog for your business, if done right. As a consultant I often hear- "blogs are free so we really can do this ourselves. " Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Leading the corporate blog panel was Christi Day/ PR Coordinator from Southwest Airlines and Lionel Manchaca, Chief Blogger at Dell. Once you select the blog tool to use, you need a business plan. Things to consider in defining your corporate blog

Why do I need/want a blog? - conversation is going on in the consumer world with or without your participation….be a participant! Have another communication channel to interact with your customer base

What is the goal of your blog?

Manpower- this is always the one that catches the small business owner by surprise. Are you dedicated to making daily contributions, real time replies to customer questions and complaints, tracking your presence on the blogosphere for hot spot sand damage control? Will you be distributing the blog? Though Dell and Southwest Airlines are both large companies, they do have best practices in place to execute successful blog communities. Southwest has a full time emerging media team of 7 in place strictly for online communication efforts. Likewise Dell has several teams in place to respond to bloggers.

Resources & Time both companies agree that a strong corporate blog has provided an additional communication channel for their company and the value well worth it. But dedication and personnel are instrumental.

Blogs are free? The tool is free. Consider you may need tech, design support, personnel full-time or part-time to make ongoing updates to your blog

Legal Issues- be careful of commenting on competitors, safety issues, claims etc. A lawyer can be helpful in reviewing content before you post

Detractors -negative comments about your business posted on your blog. There will always be that one negative voice out there. Take control and use this as an opportunity to engage that person and provide customer service and resolve problems.

Challenges- Creating content on a schedule. Will you be posting daily, weekly? Adding Video & Podcasting – that is more hands on time to schedule.

These are just a few things I took away from the Webcast .

Importance of social marketing grows for travel companies

Travel Weekly interviews several travel companies on insight on how they use social media to engage customers and generate sales. As the social-networking phenomenon grows and evolves, travel agencies, home-based agents, suppliers and destination marketers who sit on the sidelines may risk missing significant opportunities to engage existing customers, recruit new ones, bolster their brands, undertake market research and, yes, drive bookings